1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to nutritional dry food concentrates. In particular, the invention relates to a highly nutritional dry food concentrate consisting entirely of vegetable and other non-animal components adapted for mixing with water or other acceptable fluid food to form a liquid composition useful as a dietary supplement or in a weight reduction program.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various dry food compositions designed primarily for mixing with water have been heretofore developed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,550 relates to a dry food composition comprising 20 to 50% sugar and 25 to 50% protein derived entirely from animal sources. U.S. Pat. No. 3,097,947 relates to a dry food composition comprising over 50% milk solids and 4 to 12% added simple sugar.
The U.S. Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs has published dietary recommendations based on current scientific knowledge in "Dietary Goals for the United States", U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., December 1977. The Senate report discusses and refers to studies concerning the relationship of nutrition and health. The dietary goals set forth therein include the following: (1) If overweight, decrease energy (caloric) intake and increase energy expenditure. (2) Increase consumption of complex carboxyhydrate. (3) Reduce consumption of refined processed simple sugars. The report suggests a decrease in consumption of animal protein is healthy, noting that one series of investigations found that ingesting sources of dietary protein derived from animal sources results in a higher plasma cholesterol level than protein sources derived from vegetable sources. This is believed to be due largely to the nature of animal fat and the significant decrease in vegetable fiber which, the report emphasizes, could be supplied by vegetable protein sources. Further, the American Cancer Society has recently launched a campaign for an anti-cancer diet, saying that Americans who consume less fat, alcohol and smoked foods and eat more vitamins, fiber and vegetables might reduce their risk of cancer.
While the prior art dry food compositions have been useful for their intended purposes, a nutritional concentrate consisting entirely of vegetable and other non-animal components which is stable, palatable, and useful as a dietary supplement or in a weight reduction program and which is consistent with the dietary goals and recommendations set forth by the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs is highly desirable. Thus, there is a need for a highly nutritional dry food concentrate consisting entirely of vegetable and other non-animal natural components, having a low caloric content and containing no added simple sugars.